KUHF: It's Going 24/7 News And Talk, But It's Not Adding Staff To Do It

So now that KUHF is going 24/7 news and talk -- taking Rice's KTRU to the graveyard as it does so -- we should be getting a whole lot of new local programming, with more reporters and staff to produce lots of additional news product?

Not so much.

We'll let our able sister blog Rocks Off cover the musical fallout from today's purchase by UH of KTRU; we're more interested in what it means for KUHF's respected newsradio organization.

Neither John Profitt, KUHF CEO, nor station manager Debra Fraser responded to our request for info, but Richard Bonnin, a UH spokesman, says don't expect an expanded staff to fill all those hours that used to be taken up with classical music.

"The University will operate both stations with its existing staff," he says. "I believe we may need to hire one or two additional engineers, but that's it."

Yay?

It sounds like KUHF will simply be running a whole lot more NPR programming. Which will be a blessing to devoted NPR lovers, of course, but one might have hoped for more local product, too. When it comes to newsradio in this town, there's not much in the way of options.

Update: Some more word from UH on programming:

Regarding local content, programming decisions have not been made, as the sale has not been finalized. Remember, the Board's action today only authorizes the chancellor to negotiate and execute a purchase agreement and a management agreement. Programming decisions, including the addition of local content, remain part of ongoing evaluations.